Does Early Retirement Lead to Memory Loss? One Study Says Yes
Last week, The New York Times ran an article with the headline Taking Early Retirement May Retire Memory, Too. The article discusses recent research that suggests that the earlier people retire, the more quickly their memories decline. The underlying report uses data from the U.S., England, and 11 other European countries.
The article offers a few possible reasons for this conclusion: When people stop working, their engagement with life, their social interaction, and the physical effort involved in working all decrease. If you've been following the research on longevity and aging, these reasons probably all sound familiar.
The article also acknowledges some controversy surrounding the findings -- it's hard to prove that working longer actually causes you to stay sharp mentally. By the time this controversy is resolved by research, it'll probably be too late for many of us, so in the meantime, we'll need to make our own lifestyle decisions about what makes sense to each one of us.
When I look at older friends and relatives who are doing well, I definitely see a pattern. They make the effort to get out and do something in the world -- whether that's work, volunteering, or hobbies -- and they don't waste their time or brains sitting in front of the TV all day. So I'm working at something I'm passionate about and involved in hobbies I love, and I'll just have to believe that this will keep me sharp and healthy for as long as possible.
Most boomers don't have sufficient retirement savings for early or even normal retirement, so working in their retirement years may not be a choice. But rather than be bitter about it, realize that it may be keeping you sharp -- and alive. As I've previously written, there's evidence that working in your later years keeps you healthier and helps you live longer.
Here are a few more of my favorite findings and conclusions from The New York Times article:
- It challenges whether doing crossword puzzles or Sudoku improves overall functioning -- instead, research suggests you just get better at the specific task you're practicing.
- France, Italy, and Spain scored lowest in cognition tests of their older citizens; they also have the earliest retirement ages. This is particularly ironic given that citizens in these countries have been rioting recently because of proposed increases in the retirement age. Brings to mind that familiar ancient curse: May you get what you want!
More on CBS MoneyWatch
Can't Retire Yet? Don't Despair
Does Working Longer Increase Your Lifespan?
Don't Let Alzheimer's and Dementia Spoil Your Retirement
View all articles by Steve Vernon on CBS MoneyWatch»
Steve Vernon helped large employers design and manage their retirement programs for more than 35 years as a consulting actuary. Now he's a research scholar for the Stanford Center on Longevity, where he helps collect, direct and disseminate research that will improve the financial security of seniors. He's also president of Rest-of-Life Communications, delivers retirement planning workshops
and authored Retirement Game-Changers: Strategies for a Healthy, Financially Secure and Fulfilling Long Life and Money for Life: Turn Your IRA and 401(k) Into a Lifetime Retirement Paycheck.
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